Anguilla delegation to SMART, from left: Rolf Masshardt, General Manager, Carimar Beach Club; Deanna Cabrera, Property Manager, Tranquility Beach Resort; Kimberly King, Chief Marketing Officer, ATB; Stacey Liburd, Director of Tourism, ATB; Lockhart Hughes, Assistant General Manager, Carimar Beach Club; and Sharon Lowe, Marketing Officer, ATB. Photo credit: Pemberton Photos.
ANGUILLA--A public and private sector delegation from Anguilla led by the Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) attended the SMART 2024 in St. Maarten last week.
Chief Marketing Officer for the ATB, Kimberley King said, “The northeastern Caribbean has so much to offer travellers. We were happy not only to participate but to help educate agents on how they may add value to their clients’ experience by creating packages that include Anguilla once they have landed in St. Martin/St. Maarten. With a mere seven minutes’ travel (via air) or 20 minutes’ (via sea), Anguilla is very accessible and well worth the add-on.”
The Anguilla delegation held over 30 one-on-one meetings with travel trade partners from the USA, South America, the Netherlands, St. Maarten and the wider region. The Anguilla team also hosted a cocktail reception following the opening night where they delivered a comprehensive destination presentation. Many of the trade representatives in attendance were not fully aware of the island’s proximity to St. Maarten, the ease of access, and the scope of Anguilla’s tourism product. The presentation was exceptionally well received and generated very positive feedback. The advisors conveyed both their enthusiasm and their commitment to guiding their clientele on the delights of island hopping, having been sold on all that the island has to offer.
On the last day the ATB organised a familiarisation tour for 10 agents from St. Maarten to Anguilla. It was oversubscribed but the agents who were successful conducted site inspections of properties such as Carimar Beach Club, Tranquility Beach Resort, Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club and Cap Juluca, a Belmond Hotel.
